Tag Archives: waste management

Since 1989, the DC government has required recycling in all commercial establishments – including residential buildings like Florian Gardens Co-op. In the early days of recycling, newspapers had to be separated from glass, plastic, and metal containers. A few years ago, following a string of other cities, the District converted its previously cumbersome recycling program to a “single-stream recycling” system. Under the single-stream system those items that were previously separated – with a few exceptions — are now commingled. Trash — biodegradable or compostable items — should not be mixed in with recyclables, but instead should be disposed of in the yard containers (also called dumpsters) for non-recyclable trash. Biodegradables include food scraps and garbage, food-soiled paper, fruit rinds and some other items. Watch the excellent Waste Management video to learn more about recycling.